Waving goodbye to Caversham Nursery

Nursery pupils celebrate their last days at Gosbrook Road with teacher Ruth Parker

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A Caversham nursery is moving away from the site it has stood on for more than six decades to become a new children’s centre.

More than 3,300 youngsters have been taught at Caversham Nursery in the 63 years it has been in Gosbrook Road.

But next month the nursery’s children and staff will move to its new premises at Caversham Children’s Centre in Amersham Road. Plans have been under way since 2006 to build the new £1.9 million centre which would incorporate the nursery, as well as extended health, social and family services.

The scheme received full backing from Caversham councillors and governors at the nursery.

During a public consultation in 2006, 82 per cent of respondents backed the proposals for the new Amersham Road site and 73 per cent said they would use it.

The site will also feature services for paid-for childcare, speech and language therapy and employment and training services.

To celebrate the nursery’s history, the school is planning to create a ‘memory book’ with the help of former pupils.

Ruth Parker, who has been headteacher there for 13 years, said she was looking forward to moving to the new centre and the opportunities that will be available.

She said: “I’m very excited. It’s been a long time in the planning and we’re getting so close now – it’s a huge change.

“We were re-designated as a children’s centre in March 2008, which means we will develop education and childcare. It’s about supporting children through the family.”

The nursery team’s staff will expand, with a number of family support worker roles added to meet the extra need.

The construction of the centre was overseen by Theale-based firm Morgan Ashhurst, which is also responsible for a £7 million programme to build new accommodation at The University of Reading’s Whiteknights campus.

At the start of the project, director Kevin Sage said: “The design maximises the benefits of natural ventilation and natural lighting, with rooflights and sunpipes which will create a pleasant and ‘green’ environment for children, parents and staff.”

Speaking of the memory book plans, Mrs Parker said: “To mark the end of our use of this building, we would like to make a commemorative book of memories and photographs from those who have had children here or who have attended themselves.

“We would like people who have known the school to share their memories with us because the school’s been here a long time.

“We will still be here, we will just be on a different site.”

Caversham ward councillor Andrew Cumpsty said: “I have been involved with the move right from the very beginning.

“I think it’s fantastic news for the whole of the Amersham Road estate area, which has got so few civic amenities.

“The children’s centre – not only from the point of view of the nursery but all the other new facilities – will be a real boom for that part of Caversham.

“A lot of the residents are very excited about the fact that they’re going to have this amenity right on their doorstep.”

However, he said the move to the site might mean some parents of children at the nursery may have to travel further to get there.

Cllr John Ennis, lead member for children’s services, said: “It’s really good news that the nursery is moving to the children’s centre. It’s great progress amalgamating the different services.

“It’s a really good and positive way forward for the children of Caversham.”